Saturday, December 19, 2009
Sarah Vs. Delusional Memories
My legs hurt, my hips hurt, my back hurts, my stomach itches. I am too hot or too cold all the time, I can't reach my feet, I still have morning sickness, I have really bad heartburn, and I have to go to the bathroom every hour. I am exhausted but can't sleep (see bathroom every hour). The baby keeps alternately pinching the nerves in my legs with his head and reshuffling my ribs with his feet. If one more woman tells me that being pregnant is the most glorious experience in the world I am going to shove one of the socks I cannot get on my feet down her throat.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sarah Vs. the Telemarketer
That is not the reason we don't donate to the university. The reason we don't donate is because Rob won't let us donate until Parking Services admits they were wrong and returns our $600 dollars in bogus parking fees we had to pay to get our diplomas from them. As I never see this happening, I don't know that I will ever be allowed to contribute to our beloved Alma Matter. I was, however, a little hesitant to admit this to the nice girl on the other end of the phone who I am sure had nothing to do with this grave injustice and does after all have a monetary goal to meet.
I hung up, feeling bad for lying to the girl until my phone rang again. It was the same girl, asking for Rob so she could ask him for money instead of me! As I know for a fact it lists us as married on the screen she is working from because I helped build that database, I immediately stopped feeling guilty and hung up on the little pipsqueak.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Apparently I Smell
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Bummer
After staring at the brownies all day today, I took them to work so that someone could enjoy them. Apparently they were a hit, I believe it took about ten minutes for all of them to disappear. I did break off a corner of one tonight before the last one got devoured. Wow...definite keeper recipe.
Friday, December 11, 2009
I Miss my Brain
We are going to attempt the baking thing again today, hopefully my brain is well rested from its day off.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sarah vs. the Customers with No Shame
Me: Ma'am your sweater still has the price tag on it. Would you like me to get that for you? (It was in the back and hard for her to reach).
Her: Oh, no, I haven't decided if I am taking it back yet.
Later in the dinner, she stopped me as I was on my way to another table with their food...
Her: Here, we are done with these ramekins, take them with you.
Me: (Showing her that my hands were full) I will be right back to get them, just let me drop off this table's food.
Her: (Trying to put them on the other table's plate) Just take them with you now.
Me: Ma'am my hands are full right now, if you will just let me set down these plates I will be right back for your dirty dishes.
Her: I will just sit them on this wall for you then.
Me: That would be better ma'am.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Pumpkin
It was supposed to have fangs and horns, but he said real babies were much scarier and I am inclined to agree with him.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
December
Usually December is my last ditch effort to accomplish those things on my January list. Since I cannot find the January list of resolutions, I consulted the list that I made in May when we found out we were going to have a baby. So far, the only thing not done on the list in making diapers for the baby. Every part of our house has been tackled and decluttered, with the exception of the Army paperwork, which scares me. All of our half finished home improvement projects are done and the guest room has been modified for the baby. So December's projects include two baby quilts, roughly sixty cloth diapers and a pretentious, multi-course Christmas dinner.
We are not travelling this year, so my best friend and her hubby are coming up for the holiday. After chatting last night, we decided to have a really pretentious dinner with china and courses and everything, since it will be the last chance to do it without babies underfoot. This is going to be so much fun... This is somewhat of a departure from my family's Christmas pot of Chili tradition. All I know about the menu so far is we are having a cheese course, and we are not having ham. I am experimenting with homemade gelato recipes and trying to come up with some good deserts that don't have chocolate, coconut or nuts in them...maybe cannolis?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
What's In a Name?
"With a name like that you are giving the child no choice but to be a world leader, musical prodigy, great military mind, innovative scientist. I just can't imagine a guy named Gustav being a normal guy."
While I have to admit it isn't really a ho-hum kind of name and I believe names can influence the kind of person you become, I am more inclined to think that if we actually called him Gustav from birth, he may just become the anti-thesis of our dreams for him, a successful Brain if you will or a baby Stewie with plans to take over the world fresh out of the womb.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
I'm Blaming it on Pregnancy
Rewind to three months ago
I am standing in my kitchen deciding what to get rid of in my annual kitchen purge. I am holding a mop in my hand that I have not used in five years thinking "I haven't used this in five years, I have a swiffer, I will never use this again," and tossed it into the goodwill pile.
Now back to the flood
I am mopping up the mess with a pile of sham-wows and wringing them into a bucket and cursing myself for getting rid of the mop. My cousin is laughing at me, she cannot believe I don't have a mop, I am grumbling that I hadn't thought about the efficiency of swiffers in flood intervention. By the time everything is cleaned up, I am in a spectacularly foul mood.
Later that night
We are getting ready for bed and I realize that...I have a shop-vac! I tell my cousin and husband about it and they are laughing at me, then my cousin points out that not only do I have a shop-vac, but I had been wringing the shammies out into the bucket part of the shop-vac. Because I don't have a mop anymore, I don't have a mop bucket either. I remind her that she stood there and watched me and it didn't click with her either. Then I remember that I had actually had to dismantle the shop-vac to get the bucket. While I am lamenting having made the situation so much more difficult for myself my husband's only comment was "the baby is doomed."
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Sarah Vs. Well, Umm, Old People
Me: Umm, we don't have any
Old Lady: Why not? That is what I am in the mood for.
Me: Well, ma'am, this is a steakhouse that is never open for breakfast.
Old Lady: Well, now I have no idea what I want, I really wanted bacon and eggs.
Me: Well we have bacon and we have eggs, I see no reason why we couldn't make you a bacon and egg plate. Do you want toast too?
Old Lady: Yes please, do you have wheat toast?
Me: Well no, we have white bread, and we don't have a toaster, but we could grill it a little for you.
Old Lady: That will be fine, with some jam.
Me: All we have is mint jelly and raspberry puree for the cheesecake.
Old Lady: I guess that will have to do then.
In the kitchen
Me: I have an order for bacon eggs, toast and the raspberry syrup we put on cheesecake.
Cook: What?
Me: Its an old lady, she wants what she wants.
Cook: Why doesn't she go to Denny's across the street? Or Cracker Barrel?
Me: Well, her husband is getting a filet and a martini, I don't think he could get that at Denny's or Cracker Barrel.
At least they thought I was charming and accommodating and complemented me. Sometimes this "no rules" policy thing gets really funny.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Baby Names
Tired of surfing the net looking for ideas, Rob and I checked out a baby name book from our birthing class and went through the boy section writing down every name that seemed somewhat plausible. Now instead of five or six choices to argue about we have forty-odd choices to argue about. One step forward, twenty steps back...
This is muddled even further by the fact that we want this baby to have an oldest child sounding name and while I am not sure exactly what that means or that it necessarily applies to girls, it seems that the oldest boy should have a solid responsible sounding name, e.g. Theodore or Vincent instead of Linus or Felix.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Who Knew?
And you thought those problems would never come up in real life...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
It Can Be Taught
It occurred to me while talking to a friend today about doing laundry that I have been trained as well and never even realized it. My friend asked why Rob couldn't help with the laundry and after I expressed horror over the thought it dawned on me. There is no reason why a man as intelligent as Rob should be unable to master folding clothes or grocery shopping from a specific list. The only conclusion that I have been able to reach is that he has mastered ineptness in these tasks so that I will only ask him to do them as a last resort.
Of course there are chores that both of us hate and the other doesn't mind so a natural division of chores has evolved, but with laundry and grocery shopping, chores we both dislike, I feel I have been outmaneuvered.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Belated Musings
Monday, November 2, 2009
Frankenberry
Sarah: Oo! look, Frankenberry cereal for a dollar a box!
Me: I haven't had that since I was a kid, grab me a box too.
Me: (Inspecting the box) I can't remember what it tastes like
Sarah: It tastes like sugar now put it in the cart
For the record, it tastes like the berry part of Crunch Berry cereal mixed with the marshmallows from Lucky Charms. Weird.
Milton, Homer, Ovid and Poe for Babies
Friday, October 30, 2009
Less than Legal Endeavors
Interesting side note: the school is Arsenal school and is housed in Indianapolis' old...you got it...arsenal. It is a very cool property dating back to civil war times. It was later converted to a high school and is currently Indianapolis' oldest high school. Driving through it you get the immediate feel that it is a military post. I think it would be an interesting place to go to school. Check out some of the history: www.athsalumni.org/Campus.htm www.nps.gov/nr/travel/indianapolis/arsenaltech.htm Ignore the creepy version of "Blue Skies" that plays on the first site.
Friday, October 16, 2009
This Just In...
They are recreating the Titanic's last voyage for the one hundredth anniversary on the H.M.S. Balmoral. Same number of passengers, same menu, same music selection, (my friend pipes in here...same iceberg). The hosts of the show commented that they hoped none of the passengers were packing irony while another added that while there was tempting fate and then there was giving it a lap dance.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Sarah vs. the Morons (Part III)
Me: Well I don't know all of them but it is a honey wheat bread.
Customer: Why is it brown?
Me: It has a small amount of pumpernickel flour in it to give it color.
Customer: I will need to see the ingredient label.
Me: Well the box is rather large to bring out here, what are you allergic to and I will go look for you.
Customer: I want to make sure there is no caffeine in it.
Me: In the bread?
Customer: Yes.
Me: There is no caffeine in the bread ma'am
Customer: I just need to see for myself that it isn't coffee giving it that brown color, I'm not allergic to caffeine, I just don't want to be up all night from eating too much bread.
Hard to argue with that...I wouldn't want to be up all night from eating bread either.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Thought for the Day
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Denial
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Feed Your Family
Step One: Sit down with your wife and two teenage children
Step Two: Order four waters
Step Three: Order two six ounce sirloins with two extra plates
Step Four: Present a buy one get one $9.95 entree free coupon
Step Five: Chew out your waitress because the restaurant doesn't have crackers to fill up your children because you are too cheap to actually get them food
All I have to say about this situation is if you are really that strapped for money, then it is irresponsible to eat out at all. I can feed a family of four for $10.00 quite easily at the grocery store.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Why am I so OCD?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Wiki Name Game
1. Joseph
2. Joseph
3. Joseph (and these were all from separate articles)
4. Thomas
5. Walter
The really funny thing is we picked out the name Joseph for our firstborn when we got married four odd years ago and that was the name we had picked out until about two months into the pregnancy. We rejected it because my brother's name is Joseph and we didn't want it to get confusing. Here we are poised at the six month mark and it is still the only name we can agree on. Weird...
Smile!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Wipeout
An example of someone who almost gets motivated... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nym7HiwkUL4
I had my own encounter with the motivator last night. I came home from work and my hubby had decided to help me get around to tackling the laundry pile that I had been ignoring quite deliberately for four days. He has figured out that if he starts it I will fold it and put it away so it doesn't get wrinkly. Also, if it is in my kitchen it is much harder to ignore than in a hamper in the bedroom...
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Sarah Vs. the Morons (Pt. II)
I have been sick this week, so yesterday I went to the doctor.
Doctor: Please describe your symptoms
Me: I have a stuffy nose, low grade fever, sinus pain, my teeth hurt, chest congestion, coughing, sore throat and an earache on the right side.
Doctor: Why are you here?
Me: I was told high fevers were bad for the baby and it has been skirting 100 degrees. Also it has been three days, I am getting worse and cannot miss anymore work. I work in a restaurant and thought I should try to not be contagious.
Doctor: (checks my breathing, eyes, nose, throat, and one ear). What have you been taking?
Me: Sudafed and Tylenol...I thought that was all I was allowed to take over the counter.
Doctor: Well I could give you an antibiotic but I don't know if it is viral or bacterial. Which does it feel like to you?
Me: Ummm....I don't know? That's why I am here.
Doctor: Well which is it usually? Do antibiotics usually help you?
Me: Depends on whether it is viral or not...I usually can take other over the counter drugs, but I was worried about the fever with the baby and Tylenol is not doing anything.
Doctor: Well I really don't know what to tell you...does it feel like Sinusitis?
Me: You are the doctor, you tell me...
Doctor: What do you want me to do?
Me: Tell you what, you give me antibiotics, if it is viral, I will be in the same situation I was in. If it is even partially bacterial, the antibiotics will help.
Doctor: Well I will give you Amoxicillin
Me: I am immune to Amoxicillin
Doctor: Well I know that one is safe with pregnancy
Me: Well there is no point in me taking it...it won't do any good.
Doctor: What other ones are safe with pregnancy?
Me: I don't know, this is a doctor's office, surely there is a list of that sort of thing around here somewhere
Doctor: Well what did we give you last time?
Me: You have my chart in front of you, why don't you look? And last time I wasn't pregnant so you will still have to check and see if it is safe for the baby.
Doctor: Cephelexin...hmmm...do you know if that is one of the safe ones?
Me: ????? Why don't you look it up?
Doctor: Oh, I guess I will go look it up then...are you sure you don't want amoxicillin?
Me: Please just check the list....
Doctor: Oh, turns out it is just as safe as the Amoxicillin.
Me: Can I go now?
I go to this doctor's office all the time and usually they are quite competent...I think I should have gone to med school after all...but really, asking me to diagnose myself bacterial or viral? Asking me what to prescribe? What is safe when she has my history and the Internet at her fingertips?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sarah Vs. the Morons
Me: I have a coupon for one large specialty pizza and one two topping for $20.99
Papa John's lady: What would you like for those?
Me: I would like a Hawaiian for the specialty and a pepperoni mushroom for the two topping
Papa John's lady: I got the two topping but did you want the barbecued chicken or barbecued chicken and pineapple?
Me: I don't want barbecued chicken at all, I want ham and pineapple.
Papa John's lady: We can't do that
Me: Do you have ham and pineapple?
Papa John's lady: Yes
Me: Why can't you put them on a pizza?
Papa John's lady: We can't do that
Me: Can I use that as my two topping pizza?
Papa John's lady: Yes
Me: So I can do that
Papa John's lady: Yes, But you can't do that with your coupon. I can give you the barbecued chicken pizza for $17.99 though
Me: I don't like barbecued chicken
Papa John's lady: I'm sorry ma'am but you won't be able to use that coupon
Me: What if I did ham and pineapple for the two topping and a deluxe or supreme or whatever for the specialty pizza
Papa John's lady: That would be fine
Me: But I can't sub a cheaper pizza for the deluxe
Papa John's lady: No ma'am
Me: Whatever, I will do the ham and pineapple and a deluxe pizza then.
Papa John's lady: Thank you that will be ready in 30 minutes
I really don't understand...
Saturday, September 5, 2009
It Takes A Child
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Just My Luck...
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Kitty Prison
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Explanation
Money Diatribe
Money will not purchase happiness for the man who has not concept of what he wants: money will not give him a code of values, if he's evaded the knowledge of what to value, and it will not provide him with a purpose, if he's evaded the choice of what to seek. Money will not buy intelligence for the fool, or admiration for the coward, or respect for the incompetent. The man who attempts to purchase the brains of his superiors to serve him, with his money replacing his judgement , ends up by becoming the victim of his inferiors. The men of intelligence desert him, but the chats and the frauds come flocking to him, drawn by a law which he has not discovered: that no man may be smaller than his money.
-Ayn Rand
Atlas Shrugged
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Limited Resources
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Culinary Delight
Monday, June 1, 2009
Graduation Rant
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Anniversary thoughts
I think it is very important in a marriage to set joint goals. I have known couples that both have five year plans that are independent of the other... What happens if you reach your goals and you weren't working towards the same thing? It ends up pulling you apart! On the other hand, when the two of you are pulling together towards a shared purpose, you are more likely to succeed than on your own and when you get there, you will end up in the same place as your spouse.
Where were we supposed to be by May of next year?
Have finished master's degree (me)
Have started grad school (Rob)
Have our own home
Have real jobs
Have started planning for retirement
Have started a family
Our first two goals have to do with finishing our education. I will graduate in July of this year with my MBA, then return to finish my concentration area (March hopefully). Rob is a little behind on his as we had to be sure we were staying somewhere for two or three years before he could apply for grad school. He is looking at masters programs locally and thinking about studying for the GRE.
The next three goals had to do with gaining financial and geographic stability so that we could...start a family without worrying about money on top of the stress and excitement of a baby. While we haven't bought a house yet, we have made it out of apartment complexes.
The next five years will hopefully bring a couple more kids, a house of our own, my sister and I's company taking off. Rob hopes to be working with either the military or on an international level in his company and have finished his master's degree. I hope and pray that wherever we end up we can find a church family that feels like home. The Lord has kept us so far. We have a good life and it has been an amazing four years together!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Road Trip (Part III)
Interference
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Doctors and the Like
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Road Trip (Part II)
This picture is of the Capitol building in Albany, NY. It is the only state house in the country that does not have a dome.
This shot was of the skylight at the top of the million dollar staircase in the capitol building.
A very cool old fashioned lift.
The view from the bridge over Quechee Gorge. We hiked about a quarter of the way down in before the snow and ice and our inappropriate footwear forced us to turn back (apparently sneakers aren't the best choice for hiking downhill in snow...).
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Road Trip (Part I)
This one is of a windmill in Erie itself. I just liked how simple the picture was.
The next photo, off of roll 2 was taken in Buffalo, NY. For the most part Buffalo struck me as a dirty city, but they did have some beautiful architecture.
I thought this shot looked like it could have been taken 70 years ago if you ignore the shiny modern building in the top middle left of the picture.
This one was taken in Rochester, NY at the George Eastman museum of Photography, which incidentally had some amazing photo opportunities. All of my pictures from there turned out amazing, but this was the only one that had any color in it. After 30 hours of rain, it was nice to see something bright.
I took this picture on the road leaving Syracuse, NY. It was the only sunshine we saw all day and it lasted for about 45 seconds before we were flattened by another thunderstorm. If you look very very closely at the picture you will see the relatively tiny storm system off in the distance. (Actually by the time I had snapped the picture and had one foot back in the car it was pouring).
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Ahhh
Friday, April 17, 2009
What I'm excited about
Friday, April 10, 2009
I'm not dead
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Status Update
The house is looking good on a consistent basis and my best friend is coming to town! Its almost my birthday and my husband has been able to keep a secret up till now. What am I doing on my birthday?...I don't know.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Taxes
Now this year, hopefully we can avoid all the fuss and get it right the first time, which I will be attempting tonight. I really hate doing taxes...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Give that Girl a Twinkie!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Catch Up
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
My Band
Here is my album cover from my band's first album. This was a lot of fun.
Rules
Go to Wikipedia. Hit “random” or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RandomThe first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations"or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3The last four or five words of the very last quote on the page is the title of your first album.
Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7daysThird picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
Use Photoshop or similar to put it all together.(If you spend more than 5 minutes, you're doing it wrong.)
Band name @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snabba_cash
Quotation
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Book List
Where is my book?
I am so excited about having tomorrow off from work, I have a laundry pile that is three weeks deep that I am really looking forward to folding and even though I hate vacuuming, I really want to vacuum for some reason. I picked up the house yesterday and it was such a peaceful day in my neat house that I want to compound my pleasure by having a neat and clean house! After that, I think Rob and I have a date. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, or at least it is for someone who works in the restaurant industry.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Looney Bin
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Sleep, Awake
I have been daydreaming, at night which ends up being terribly confusing but anyways...daydreaming about college, trying to remember how I kept myself awake. Years of abuse have inured me to the effects of caffeine, it isn't cold enough outside to be bracing, I have already taken two showers tonight, I am running out of ideas...I thought of finally getting a piercing or playing with a nine volt but don't feel like being in pain in addition to being tired. If I remember correctly, in college, I went to the all night coffee shop where it would be rude to fall asleep. I don't think I know of any such places here. Sad, I have lived here, cumulatively, two and half years and don't know where an all night coffee shop is. Pathetic actually...
For What I am About to Receive...I am Truly Grateful
Following both of us taking time off for Rob's dad surgery, we have been working like crazy to catch up, Rob on flight hours and backlogged paperwork, and me the lost money from five missed shifts and getting way behind on homework and housework. Tonight we both got home from work around eleven, collapsed on the couch and commiserated about how beat we were. Both of us will be pulling all-nighters to get our work done in time and we agreed to meet tomorrow night for an extended power nap (known to everyone else on the planet as bedtime, hard to call it sleep when it never seems to be for long enough). I suppose this is great training for when we have children. I feel like I haven't slept in five weeks and I don't foresee it happening anytime soon. Sigh...
While we were whining to one another, he said something that put things into perspective. "Guess we should stop complaining and be thankful that we do have jobs, there are a lot of people who would gladly take our places." He never says much, so it always surprises me when he says something wise that instantly changes my attitude. In the midst of my own futile job search how could I have forgotten that I do have a job and we are able to pay our bills, keep our cars running, keep our heat on, phones connected? I feel humbled...and grateful to God for taking care of us and up till now at least, protecting us from the economic difficulty so many people are facing.
"What recession!" has been the theme at work for the last month or so. The restaurant I work for seems to be untouched by the recession. Yet one more blessing I wasn't appreciating nearly enough. Being employed is nice, but if no one is coming in the doors I don't make any money. God is providing, one night at a time...
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
25 Random Things...
1. I have a small library in my office which is meticulously organized and cataloged...the only part of my house that is.
2. I cannot throw away my old floppy disks, even though we don't have a computer that will read them anymore.
3. I am slightly obsessive about list making.
4. The tape dispenser from my parents house is on my desk. It might be older than I am.
5. Current reading selection: Paradise Lost
6: Current music selection: Mozart's Mass in C Minor. If you haven't heard it...hear it...awesome.
7. Am either a very liberal republican or a very conservative democrat. Or something else entirely.
8. The four most populous authors in my book collection are Orson Scott Card, Raymond Feist, Dean Koontz and L.E. Modesitt Jr. So far haven't read much by those guys that I didn't like.
9. Am a member of the laziest book club ever. Originally formed to give moral support while we tackled books we were too scared to read on our own. Unfortunately, we have been giving each other reassurance and excuses not to read the selection.
10. Love snow, love cold, love Indiana, hate vacuuming
11. Love bandannas, wear them every chance I get
12. I am really not as grouchy as everyone seems to think I am
13. Correction on number 1, my pantry is a lesson in classic OCD behavior as well, closet too. Pretty much anywhere that you cant see when you walk in the door is meticulous. The main areas are a disaster.
14. I find paperwork very overwhelming. My mailman is lucky if I empty the mailbox twice a month. I'm really not trying to drive him crazy, I just forget until I realize I haven't paid bills in a while.
15. I wish Indy had a better recycling program
16. I have never gotten my Christmas cards out on time
17. I love Indianapolis. It is the perfect size city. Very little crime comparatively. Traffic is awesome for a big city. It has cultural activities and eccentric ones as well. It also has a sledding hill with a concrete strip at the bottom of it. Kinda sick if you ask me.
18. I wanted to be a trucker for a year in college.
19. I bite off more than I can chew regularly. I wouldn't know how to function any other way.
20. Last year after spending a winter in Alabama, when it snowed for the first time, I wrapped up in a comforter and took some tea out on the balcony and watched it snow for two hours.
21. I feel with the amount of mood swings and intense feelings I have, I should have been a poet or an artist or something angsty.
22. I am supposed to be writing a paper on economic forecasting for a Fortune 500 company of my choice. Sigh...
23. I love my parents and siblings and miss them like crazy. Sometimes I get angry with the nature of adulthood, how it separates us from loved ones.
24. I am terrified of dogs, but want a really really huge one someday, Malmut probably.
25. I think it is funny how disturbed my parents are by my sleep schedule, especially considering that I probably sleep far more hours than they do.
Chaos Studies Pt. 2
Chaos is a natural byproduct of the imperfect human condition. When we have had a rough day, we 'owe' it to ourselves to come home from work and 'relax,' i.e. veg on the couch, read a book, play online, basically anything but clean house. Unfortunately, we find it difficult to relax in chaos and our days get more and more stressful until we have had enough and take care of the root problem. I am going to have to start doing housework before work again which means...I am going to have to get up earlier than I like...
I remember the good old days when the house seemed to clean itself. Of course, I also remember the conspicuous lack of homework too...I think I am going to blame it on being in school in order to divest myself of personal responsibility and control of the situation. Yeah, that'll work...
Friday, February 6, 2009
Top Ten...
1. A man cross country skiing...in Alabama...in August. We actually backed up because we thought we were crazy!
2. A little car pulling a...porta-potty down 465
3. A statue of a boll weevil
4. A confederate flag the size of my garage flying in the middle of 65 S
5. A 20 ft. tall superman statue
6. A moose in the middle of the road
7. Large pink animals...hippos...elephants...etc, that towns decorate with
8. A perfect replica of the ghost buster's car...complete with college students that drove the streets with a megaphone yelling "Happy...insert day of week here...
9. Green air that started rotating around me. As I left it, the tornado lifted off.
10. Van completely covered with medium shag carpet with the dark side of the moon design displayed on the side.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Super Bowl New Year
For those of you who are leaving...you will be missed
For those of you who left long ago...you are always in our hearts
For those of you whose lives have gotten hectic...we are here, a fifteen minute drive or a phone call away, we will find time in our own busy schedules to be there for our loved ones.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Snow Day
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Dante and Krugman
Instead of curling up with a book tonight, I wrote five pages on one of the Nobel Prize winners in the Economics category. I picked Paul Krugman, last year's winner. Turns out economics is incredibly fascinating when written about by a person with a sense of humor that lacks the cryptic gene most economists take pride in cultivating. If you have time check this guy out. He writes twice a week for the NY Times and is responsible for modern trade theory. He also coined the New New Deal phrase that Obama's economists are throwing around. I haven't yet figured out if he is helping Obama develop his economic policy or not, but if he is, I would feel a little better about the immediate economic future. I guess this class hasn't been the total wash I was expecting. On the fun side of things, I apparently picked the perfect company to do my SWOT analysis on. I seem to have sparked a lively debate by choosing Microsoft. Seems everyone has an opinion on that particular company.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Nurses know best?
I hung out with a family in the waiting room today that made me miss mine. They were loud, outspoken, argued for hours on end good-naturedly about nothing. Quite a difference from Rob's family who are quiet and mostly courteous with each other. I think that I counted fifteen or so of them crammed into the tiny waiting room. Mom couldn't understand how I could do homework in that chaos...how could I explain to her that it was easier to focus there than in the absolute silence of the hallway. Anyway...I finally got the big project that I have been working on done...I feel I have earned a solid night of sleep.
You Guys are the Best
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Hats and Scarves
Diapers
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
To Do
Write 5 pages on which economic, social, and political trends are most important to your organization or industry, and why...Ummm
Drink lots of tea (hey, it is really cold today)
Watch inaugural address and evaluate my life goals in context
Clean house (maybe)
Do not start new book
Do not start new book
Start my SWOT analysis
Come up with a page on how the market structure of my industry works
Feed cats
Oh yeah! Feed hubby and myself
Make nightly dose of rice pudding
I really hate economics, half of it I don't get and the other half seems so obvious that debating it seems pointless. "The economy is important" (really! I never would have got that on my own)
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Books and Monica
I just finished Couch, which was interesting. It was about three roommates who end up floating out to sea on this couch, has adventure, betrayal, heartbreak, then at the end of their quest they discover that this supernatural couch has the seeds for the destruction and rebirth of mankind. Turns out to be a more interesting couch than any that I have ever owned. What should I read next? The new Orson Scott Card book, the new Kathy Reichs book, one called Gods Behaving Badly about twelve Greek gods sharing a London townhouse? I think it may take longer to decide than to actually read the book.
On a completely different topic, Monica (sister) is coming to town tomorrow. We had mentioned sledding this weekend, but there is a limit to how cold it can be and me still voluntarily stay outside. We have passed that point. I think for me to want to go sledding it has to be at least double digits. Maybe we will stay in and bake the recipes I didn't get around to making for Christmas. Maybe we can make No-Spit candy! (Andy, I cannot tell you how excited I am to have that recipe...) I have a recipe for apple soup I have been meaning to try too... I always enjoy her visits and I think she will be excited...the last time she was here the toilet was in the guest room and our bathroom just had a hole in the floor. We are a little more high-class now, we have a toilet in our bathroom and everything! Fancy!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Job Hunting
Baby steps...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bummin'
Monday, January 12, 2009
Lazy Mondays
Found an awesome quote for the new year
What reinforcement we may gain from hope.
If not, what resolution from despair.
-Milton, Paradise Lost
Current reading selections include Paradise Lost and a book called Couch about three roommates and their couch that will not let them put it down. Just read the Kreutzer Sonata by Tolstoy that reveals a very distorted philosophical view...abstinence even in marriage?...children just propagating human misery and abnormal behaviors? What a difference in his outlook from the beginning of his life to the end. The Kreutzer Sonata was written just a couple years before his death. Interesting.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Sundays
Other interesting happenings...
Our friend Scott is moving to Chicago...he will be missed and he is providing further motivation for the much speculated move to be to the Chicagoland area. If my parents would just move to Chicago then it would be an ideal location. Unfortunately, I am pretty sure that the mild Tennessee weather has spoiled them for the north. I distinctly remember complaints about the Indiana November when they were up for Thanksgiving. Personally, I love winter and this has been a fun one already and we have at least two more months of it. Were it not for winter, I wouldn't be able to appreciate the summer. Mostly I find the heat uncomfortable and tedious, but after a nice cold winter, spring and early summer seem nothing short of miraculous to me. It is very easy to see the hand of God in the changing of the seasons and the life cycles of our planet. I think that is why I hated Alabama so much. There were no seasons, no rebirth, no wonder in the new life, all the seasons just ran into one another with glaring monotony.
Gotta love the tangents...I will be back later to update on whether the desire to procrastinate triumphed over the need to cross things off the list.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Resolutions from Outside the Loop
1. Lose 15 pounds. Encouraged from the successes of meeting my weight loss goals from the last two years, my ultimate weight goal is finally within my goal.
2. Declutter House. Moving (again) this year is a more than likely occurance. Plus every year I declutter our house (maybe because we move every year). I think it is a good practice to have.
3. Finish School. Or at least this portion of it. Each time I finish a section of my schooling I promise to never go back to school. At this point in my life, I am honest enough with myself to admit that most of the time I really enjoy school. I have decided that should the opportunity arise, I may go back to school in the future. For now, I am scheduled for graduation in December and I would like to make that appointment.
4. Find Real Job. Umm...while this is probably one of the more important ones, it is probably the one I am least motivated to do. In part, this results from the dreamlike state of our current existence, the one where the sense of the future is all very fuzzy. We know we are moving, but we don't know when or where...do you see why it would be difficult to job hunt?
5. Stop biting my nails. I am 24. I have had nails once that I can remember in my life. When I went with my friend to get our nails done before her wedding, the nail people wept at my poor ravaged nail beds.
6. Keep track of our spending. I always start out so well with this and gradually forget to record my earnings and keep track of our cash spending. This ends up being a lot of gray since most of my earnings come in as cash and everything but bills and gas goes out as cash.
7. Play violin in public. My goal used to be to try out for some sort of orchestra or symphony. My goal this year is to sit on a milk crate in Broad Ripple with my violin case open for people to throw money in. I figure the drunks will be less critical than symphony people...or not, who knows but it sounds like fun anyway.
Best of luck in your endeavors this year!